Vietnam-Laos solidarity year – great milestone in bilateral ties

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong (R) welcomes General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith in Hanoi (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - The
Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2017 has successfully
concluded, becoming a great milestone in bilateral relations, contributing to reinforcing
the traditional friendship between the two countries.

During the year, the two sides celebrated the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties
and 40 years of the Treaty on Friendship and Cooperation.

The two sides have exchanged 300
delegations, while working together to implement signed agreements and
cooperation programmes and plans, thus lifting ties to a new height.

Along with strengthening collaboration
between the two countries’ national assemblies, ministries and localities, the
two sides have worked together to search and repatriate remains of Vietnamese
soldiers and experts who died in Laos, and to build a shared border of peace,
friendship and cooperation.

In 2017, Vietnam and Laos held many
activities to show gratitude to those who contributed to strengthening bilateral
ties.

Speaking at a meeting with former Vietnamese soldiers in Laos and the two
countries’ young generations during his visit to Vietnam from December 19-21,
General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party Central Committee and
President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith reiterated that the long-standing solidarity
and fighting alliance is the only one of its kind in the world.

Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity
Year 2017 has been popularised widely with the publishing of a special book on
Vietnam-Laos relations, a contest on exploring the history of the ties and a
series of exhibitions.

Currently, Vietnam has 276 projects in
Laos with total investment of about 5 billion USD, making it the third largest investor
of Laos.

In 2017, the Ministry of Planning and
Investment of Vietnam also launched two investment projects in Laos worth 12.5
million USD.

Activities held during the Vietnam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year
2017 have helped educate youths on the close relationship between the two
countries and raised their awareness of the responsibility to preserve and
promote the special ties.-VNA